Sightseeing and Lectures
Learn and explore the history, nature, and culture of Svalbard.
If you’re curious about how people live in such an extreme place, sightseeing and lectures in Svalbard are perfect for you. Local guides share stories about life in the Arctic, early explorers, wildlife, and how the community adapts to the long polar night and endless summer days. You can visit important landmarks around Longyearbyen, like the Svalbard Museum, Global Seed Vault area, or local research centers.
Lectures often cover topics like polar history and everyday life on Svalbard. It’s a great way to understand more about this unique place beyond what you see outside your window. For travelers who enjoy learning as much as exploring, these activities add depth and meaning to your Arctic adventure.
Choose and book:
-
Bird Spotting Excursion, followed by Arctic BBQ
A speedboat trip focused on Svalbard’s summer birds, with time ashore to watch them up close. The day ends with a tasty Arctic barbecue in truly beautiful surroundings.
-
Chasing the Dancing Aurora
A two-hour aurora chase by bus with a guide who grew up in Longyearbyen. We follow the lights from the Seed Vault towards Mine 7 or Mine 3.
-
Exclusive Northern Lights Chase
A small-group aurora chase in a heated minibus, with a maximum of 8 guests. Enjoy hot drinks, plenty of time for photos and a warm jacket on cold nights.
-
Lens & Perspective Photo Tour
A sightseeing tour by car with plenty of time for photos. Your guide takes you to the best spots around Longyearbyen, and in the dark season maybe the aurora.
-
Northern Lights Adventure by Car
A small-group evening tour by car past the Global Seed Vault towards Mine 3, with warm drinks, cookies, aurora stories and tips for taking better Northern Lights photos.
-
Northern Lights Chase by Car
Chase the aurora by car with a local guide, visiting the old Northern Lights Observatory, Mine 6 and scenic viewpoints. The route changes each night with the forecast.
-
Northern Lights Evening at Camp Barentz
Leave town for a cosy evening at Camp Barentz, with a warm dinner and an informal lecture in an authentic trapper-style cabin. With luck, the Northern Lights appear too.
-
Northern Lights Hunt & Global Seed Vault
Hunt for the aurora by van with a local guide, with a photo stop at the Global Seed Vault. Even without the lights, you get a memorable Arctic evening.
-
Northern Lights Safari by Snowcat
A warm and comfortable aurora hunt by snowcat across the frozen Adventdalen, with several stops to look for the lights. Not physically demanding at all, so great for families.
-
Ny-Ålesund: The Northernmost Town
A full day by boat to Ny-Ålesund, the northernmost town in the world. Walk through its rich polar history, from coal mining to Amundsen’s famous 1926 airship expedition.
-
Visit the Cabelway Central
Visit Taubanesentralen, the old cableway centre that once carried coal from the mines to the harbour. Explore the building at your own pace and learn how Longyearbyen grew.
-
Visit the Cabelway Central – Guided tour
A guided tour of Taubanesentralen, the old cableway centre that carried coal from the mines down to the harbour. Learn how it shaped Longyearbyen. Hotel pick-up is included.
